Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration is continuous prayer before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. It is an expression of our love for Jesus. The Host, the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, of Jesus is placed in a monstrance and honored with the worship of adoration. Adorers make a commitment to spend an hour a week before the exposed consecrated Eucharist. Adoration is continuous seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day except for a brief period at the end of Lent, termed Triduum, when the Eucharist is reposed. For more information, refer to the Perpetual Adoration Brochure.

The Church strongly encourages both private and public devotion toward the Eucharist and teaches that prayer before the Eucharist actually extends the union with Christ which the faithful have received in Communion. It helps them live in a more Christian way, trying to maintain in their lives what they have received by faith and by sacrament.

“The best, the surest and the most effective way of establishing PEACE on the face of the earth is through the great power of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.” Saint Pope John Paul II

“If people spent one hour per week in Eucharistic adoration, abortion would be ended.” Blessed Mother Teresa

“Let us never forget that an age prospers or dwindles in proportion to its devotion to the Holy Eucharist. Saint Peter Julian Eymard

The Holy Family Perpetual Adoration Chapel is located at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 2718 Overbrook Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27608. The Chapel is in the parish office building and is easily found by first looking for the grotto on the parish property. The Chapel is opposite the grotto and has one wall made of glass blocks. The statue of the Blessed Mother in the grotto is facing the Chapel.

The Holy Family Perpetual Adoration Chapel is managed by a team of lay volunteers who schedule adorers for one hour per week. They make sure someone will always be there with the Blessed Sacrament. Prayer and support are provided by the Legion of Mary.

Before you commit to an hour each week you may want to visit The Holy Family Perpetual Adoration Chapel first. You may also wish to check the hours that could use a prayer partner. Consider your own schedule and pray to the Holy Spirit to guide you.

There are numerous ways to sign up for an hour: Complete an Invitation to Perpetual Adoration Form. This form is located at the Chapel’s sign in table and in the vestibule of the Church. You may call or e-mail one of the Chapel Coordinators or Divisional Leaders. Business cards with their contact information are located in the Chapel. You may also complete the sign-up form located in the Adoration Signup section of this website. However, you sign up or just inquire, one of the coordination team members will contact you to confirm your selected Holy Hour and/or answer any questions you may have.

Each adorer determines which hour is best for him or her. We encourage people as they volunteer to first consider those times where a partner is needed. We never assign hours to anyone and encourage people to consider the hour they choose carefully and to pray about it first. We realize that an hour that fits your schedule well will help you keep your commitment each week. No one will make you take an unwanted hour. We are grateful to those who can do the more difficult hours, but realize that what is difficult varies with each person.

The Chapel does have additional options to sign up for a Holy Hour including sharing an hour with another person and signing up within a group or parish ministry that rotates or assigns members each week.

We try to schedule two adorers for every hour and together they become responsible to see that their hour is covered each week. We encourage partners to talk to each other and work together. If one of the adorers is not able to make his or her scheduled hour, it is only necessary that one person be there. This works best when both partners are coming regularly each week. If you are unable to make your adoration hour, please first contact your partner. If neither you nor your partner can make the hour, please see if a friend or family member can fill in for you. If these measures fail, contact the Hourly Coordinator for your Holy Hour. That person will draw from a list of substitutes to locate a person who will fill in for you.

It lasts as long as you want it to last. Many people have had the same hour since Perpetual Adoration was started. We just ask that you not stop coming without calling us to let us know to take your name off the schedule.

Yes! We change hours of adorers all the time. We are always in need of new people as schedules change, people move and some people just want a different time. You can advise your Hour Coordinator of a needed change or you can complete an “Adorer Change of Information". Also forms are located on the Chapel's sign-in table.

We ask that you do not leave until the person assigned to the next hour has arrived. There are many people stopping by the chapel and we do not rely on them to be responsible for making sure someone is there. It is very rare for a replacement not to come. However, if it does occur, there is a phone on the wall in the Chapel library that you can use to call your replacement. The schedule of adorers, with phone numbers, is posted on the bulletin board in the library. Next to the phone is a list of people you can call to fill in for you at the last moment. Most adorers will stay the extra hour, if possible, and consider it a special blessing.

The names of all regular adorers are listed according to the day and time. Adorers are asked to put their initials next to their name and to put the time they arrive and the time they leave in the boxes provided on the sign-in sheet. Since we must never leave the Blessed Sacrament unattended, this enables us to see at a glance if someone has been in the chapel at all times. We do not keep track if you are not at your assigned hour each week. We assume partners are working together. Occasionally, we go over the sheets to see if anyone has stopped coming. If we find that someone has not been there for a long period of time, we will call to see if they need to change times or if they would like to come off the schedule. We also ask visitors to sign their names and the time they arrive and leave the chapel.

Let the Holy Spirit guide you. The Chapel has a library that can be accessed through the door to the left just past the sign-in table. Books are available for you to read while in the Chapel. We ask that you return any book you were reading to the library shelves before leaving the Chapel. Please take all materials you bring into the Chapel home with you when you leave.

No matter what our vocation in life is, we are all called to holiness. Spending time with Jesus will lead you in that direction. Don't expect everything in your life to suddenly change and everything to be perfect. Jesus never promised to take away our sufferings, but He did promise to be there with us in our sufferings. As we spend time with Jesus we come to trust Him and rely on Him more and more.

The chapel is open to all visitors at any hour of the day or night. The dedication of those adorers who commit to a regular hour each week is truly an act of charity. It enables the chapel to be open for any and all persons wanting to make a visit to the Lord.

Hours Needing Prayer Partners

We are always in need of new people to commit to an hour in the chapel. Unless advised otherwise, we consider a husband and wife or a family as one person since they will probably be vacationing or away together. We have no hours that are without any assigned or substitute adorers. Refer to the Adorers Needed section of this website to see a chart of Holy Hoursshowing where a prayer partner is needed. If none of these times are convenient, we will work with you to find a suitable time.

Prayer Petitions

Prayer requests can be made by writing them on the 3 by 5 cards found on the book case in the Chapel. Many adorers spend time praying for these intentions and writing special notes on the cards. Please do not use last names on the cards.

What about Daylight Savings Time Changes?

For the Fall time adjustment changing from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time, the change occurs at 2:00 AM. However, since we gain one hour in the “fall back” there are now two hours between 2:00AM and 3:00 AM. The regularly scheduled 2:00 AM Adorers are responsible for the first 2:00 AM shift as usual. The coordinators will ensure that the second hour of the 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM time period is covered. Therefore, on Sunday morning the scheduled hours are: Midnight; 1:00 AM; 2:00 AM; 2:00 AM; 3:00 AM; 4:00 AM; 5:00 AM; 6:00 AM, etc. All Sunday Adorers, please be sure to adjust your clocks the night before. (You’ll be getting an extra hour to sleep!)

Borrowing and Donating Books

The books in the Chapel Library are for the use of adorers and as such are not to be removed from the chapel. If you would like to donate a book, please give it to the Parish Receptionist along with your contact information. Not all books are suitable for the Adoration Chapel and must go through an approval process.